Backup power line coming to West Kelowna but not anytime soon

Adam Proskiw

(L to R) West Kelowna mayor Doug Findlater, Premier Christy Clark and B.C. Hydro CEO Jessica McDonald at the press conference announcing a secondary line that will provide power to West Kelowna and Peachland.

(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)

February 05, 2015 - 4:34 PM

WEST KELOWNA – Residents and businesses in West Kelowna, Peachland and Westbank will be getting a backup power line but not for several more years, according to Premier Christy Clark.

The new line will not replace the old one but instead act as a redundancy power route that can be used in case of failure.

“This (current) power supply line is vulnerable,” Clark said. “We are going to improve the dependability of the supply to this region.”

Clark, who is also the MLA for Westside Kelowna says the second line will have the same capacity as the first but will run along a different route.

The cost of the project has not yet been determined but Clark said money has been allocated for it in the capital plan. The first phase of the project will involve consultation.

“Once we’ve done that we’ll have a better sense of the cost of the project,” she said, adding that the exact amount depends on the plan they ultimately decide to implement.

"We committed several years ago to study the feasibility of a new line and after extensive review we've decided this is the right time to invest in an upgrade to West Kelowna's transmission network," said Jessica McDonald, president and CEO, BC Hydro. "We will work closely with First Nations, the public and stake holders to determine the best route option for the community while delivering the project efficiently and prudently."

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

OPINION At least part of me wasn’t sure I should write this, given what happened last time. It was August 15, 2003 and like many Thursdays before it, I was scratching around for a column idea. The summer newsroom